CROPS 75 



desired size. For slicing, cucumbers should not usually be 

 gathered until at least six inches long. Whether the cucum- 

 bers are grown for pickles or for slicing purposes they should 

 be gathered at least twice a week to secure uniformity in 

 the size of the fruits. 



Cultivation. Cultivation should begin as soon as the 

 plants break the ground and should continue as long as 

 possible without too great injury to the vines. 



IX. DANDELION 



Planting. The dandelion is a hardy crop and may 

 be planted early in the spring or in the early fall for spring 

 cutting. When grown in the fall, the seed should be sown 

 early enough so that the plants will be nearly full grown by 

 the time hard freezing weather occurs. It is desirable to 

 mulch lightly with straw, although mulching is not necessary 

 for the successful wintering of this crop. 



Soil. The leaves are the edible portion of this plant 

 and the ground selected for dandelions should be rich and 

 friable. The seed should be planted in rows sixteen to 

 eighteen inches apart, and when planted in the rows for 

 growing to maturity the seedlings should be thinned to at 

 least six inches apart. The seed may be planted in a seed 

 bed and the plants transplanted as desired. 



Harvesting. Fall grown dandelions are ready for har- 

 vesting as soon as the season opens in the spring. They 

 may be cut with a knife by hand or by the use of a sharpened 

 shuffle hoe as shown in Fig. 31. The plants should be care- 

 fully washed and packed in bushel boxes or baskets for 

 marketing, 



